Heddvi's Fated Indenture
by Highlord90
Summary: Edited the Summary Warning-contains sexual content. The story follows an original plot and characters but is set in Skyrim and uses in-game names and locations: Heddvi, a Nord woman, was sent to Cidhna Mine to work, upon her release she finds she's far from free and becomes the property of an Imperial woman illegally. This is a romantic adventure story with love scenes.
1. Chapter 1

**Please read this: Future chapters of this story will contain sexual scenes that are of a lesbian nature but I'm trying to write a romance/adventure story and not a perverse sex fantasy so there will be no rape, torture, snuff or anything horrific like that being performed as a sexual act but this chapter does have an attempted rape, descriptions of people being beaten (non-sexual) and some light petting nut now I can say with confidence that I have warned you about the content.  
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**If anything I hope you appreciate my effort in writing a mature storyline...  
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Heddvi's Fated Indenture

Chapter One: Leaving Cidhna Mine

My name is Heddvi and I was sent to work in Cidhna Mine a month ago or so. You would be right to wonder who locks a woman in a prison with a group of men who haven't seen sunlight let alone a female in months or even years. Well it's the Silver-Blood's that's who. Maybe I brought it on myself after I tried to pick Thongvor Silver-Blood's pocket but I had been desperate if not a little daring and very, very sloppy, he caught me when I put my hand in his coin purse.

I was an outsider to the Reach let alone Markarth and had come here hoping to find work smelting silver ore but had instead been told that the Silver Works wasn't any place for a young woman and that I would be better suited to working in The Hag's Cure or serving at the Silver-Blood Inn but I'm useless at alchemy and I wasn't eager to worm my way into what looked like a family business, although if they hadn't been such a broken family I might have considered it but after a single night in the inn the yelling had annoyed me to no end.

Once I was out of gold I turned to thievery, something I had practiced as a child in Riften when I would dip into a man's pocket to feed myself. It was that or Honourhall Orphanage and from what I heard it was far from pleasant there. I had begin sleeping in the Warrens and practicing my new art during the day in the market and had made some good money, I had enough to get out of Markarth but I got greedy and wanted more and since I had gotten away with it nearly every time I felt I had a chance and when I got caught before I would either run or pay the guards off with some money. Of course bribery means nothing when you get on the Silver-Blood's bad side, they own half of Markarth.

Thongvor, the man I had stolen from, had demanded that I be put to work in Cidhna Mine at once after the guards arrested me, the Nord had held me down himself whilst he waited for them to arrive and I suppose my being a Nord Woman was the reason he hadn't killed me outright.

There was no trial, no clear sentencing and I was just told to mine the silver in the mine until my release and so now I was stuck here for Gods know how long. Not a few days after my arrival a new face arrived, whether or not he was interested in talking or just dumb was beyond me but he went straight to Madanach, the King in Rags and apparently the leader of the Forsworn. Not two hours later one of the prisoners was killed by him and then a group of other inmates I believed to be Forsworn made their escape with the new male prisoner in tow.

They clearly had no mind for the consequences of their actions and it had been me who had felt the guard's anger at failing in their duties through a series of severe and painful beatings. Another prisoner who had stayed behind warned me not to fight back; they'd only kill me slowly for it.

Of course we weren't beaten so much that we couldn't continue working so sporting fresh bruises, swollen lips and bleeding cuts we continued to mine. All that because I had chosen not to risk my life for some secret tunnel that might lead into the Jarls bedchambers for all I knew so I stayed here and it became just me and another man by the name of Arenar, but I had heard his name from another prisoner as he never spoke a word, for a little while. Arenar wasn't like the other men for he was an Imperial, of low class I'd wager, and not a Nord but he was good man unlike the other prisoners who came through here.

I had anticipated a good of deal of the men who had escaped were of poor morals and as soon as I had arrived the leering stares had begun; the creatures didn't even try to hide their lust. I cursed my looks at that moment.

I had long blonde hair with several small tails dangling around it, giving me a wild and untamed look although they're gone by now, my eyes were a bright shade of green and my skin was pale like most Nord Women. My body was well kept after months of travel before arriving in Markarth where my troubles began.

I had thought that even if I had been an ugly hunchback these men would have tried to force themselves on me regardless and one did try too, not half an hour after my arrival, but Arenar had been the first and only man to step in and ward the old Nord away from me.

He took me aside as the grey bearded old man shuffled away muttering angrily to himself. "Thank you," I had said gratefully to Arenar at the time but he didn't reply, he only gave me a pickaxe and without a word he began working like nothing had happened and I insinuated he wanted me start as well but what else could I do.

Although he never spoke with me, he still protected me and had asked for nothing in return, not a portion of my food or the use of my body for that matter so I thought he was a good man through and through but a part of me still wondered if he was biding his time.

It had been a full month now since the Forsworn had escaped the Mine with the mysterious stranger and it was just me, Arenar and two other prisoners, a Dunmer and Nord, who had claimed their imprisonment was harsh and unjustified but these men were murderers from what I had heard the guards saying and were dangerous to boot. I wondered why they weren't killed on sight but something told me that dead criminals couldn't mine silver for the smelters and after the breakout there had been a shortage of workers to meet the quota.

We all slept in the same rocky chamber around an open fire on bedrolls during the night; we had no real way of telling when night was although the guards changed shifts twice a day so we slept on the second change of shifts and were usually woken up by the guards. Empty bowls from our last meal had yet to be returned and there was a plate with a single piece of bread still on it. Arenar had been making sure I was eating and if any man tried to worm his way into my portion Arenar would usually hit them, simple as that. I hadn't been sleeping since I came to Markarth; it was hard enough doing so in the Warrens but sleeping in a cave that could collapse at any given time had only increased my paranoia. I felt a little hungry as I lay awake so I crawled off my bedroll and snatched the piece of bread before anyone else could get to it. It was nearly stale but edible all the same.

In the month since my arrival my body weight had dropped considerably, the guards starved us so that we only had the energy to work but fighting our way out would be suicidal. From the strong minded Nord Lass that had first arrived I had been shaped into something lesser, although I wasn't bony I was quite a bit thinner than before, my once bright green eyes had grown dim and my hair was starting to fall out but I was far from bald yet.

I realised may be ill, I wasn't sure but the guards could care less. If I dropped down unconscious they would most likely beat me rather than revive me. I finished off the bread and took a deep drink from a pitcher of murky water, perhaps this was what was making me ill, this dirty, rancid water that I swear was just brought in from the streams that channelled through Markarth. I heard someone shift as they rolled over on their bedroll and I spied Arenar staring up at me as I stood with the share pitcher in my heads taking a deep drink, he looked wide awake like I was.

I knew not what made him so eager to protect me, perhaps my apparent youth was a good reason, I was only nineteen you see and maybe he just couldn't abide the cruelty of a young woman, barely a woman at that, being locked in prison where the percentage of the inmates were men who hadn't lain with a woman in so long usually.

Whatever the reason I was thankful to him. I nodded to him but I only received his continuing stare in return. His beard was down to his chest by now and had tinges of grey in it which meant he was a fairly aged man but his black hair outnumbered the grey hair. The hair on his head fell down to his shoulders and I could only see patches of skin where hair simply didn't grow which was around the eyes and on his nose then up past his ears although the skin was covered in mud. His figure had remained strong although he had been here well before me but he worked more than all of us, seemingly untiring and he hardly slept as well.

We all wore the same ragged shirt and trousers, the trousers I wore were held up with a piece of rope to stop them from falling but our arms were as bare as were feet. Arenar's clothing was far more ragged than my own with the trousers having tares up his legs whereas mine where in good enough condition. I was unsure as to why he stared at me, he never spoke a word but there was something inviting about his gaze.

I wasn't like these men; I didn't feel the need anything carnal, at least not for them but I was also still a virgin. Regardless I walked over to Arenar, wiping my mouth of water, and lay down beside him on the dust. It was seemingly what he wanted and I had expected him to make some sort of advance but all he did was move a lock of hair out of my eyes then close his eyes with a single arm around me in warm embrace.

The weariness of today's work was taking hold but I was still not falling asleep. Whether Arenar was asleep or not I had no idea but I decided in my mind that he would eventually want more from me if we slept this close together, perhaps he had only sought to comfort me or was working up to seducing me but I decided that if anyone was going to have me for the first time it would be him because if Arenar left before I was released I would much rather have one good memory to draw back on during the rest of my sentence as I had no doubt that any other prisoners, old or new, would not be quite as virtuous as Arenar was and that my time here would be much less pleasant than it already is without him to protect me.

With a nervous movement I slid my hand down the front of his trousers, gripping hard on his member but Arenar surprised me by quickly grabbing my wrist and lifting my hand away from his manhood. With a shake of his head he placed my hand away from him and leaned to kiss me on the forehead before closing his eyes. I first felt embarrassed, not for him denying me but for my mistrust of his good intentions.

"Forgive me Arenar," I said, "I was only trying to be grateful I didn't mean for it to seem like you were-" He put a finger to his nose, a symbol for 'be quiet' so I nodded my head and closed my eyes. Now, I believed, I had that good memory.

I finally managed to sleep but I was shaken awake by Arenar as he handed me a bowl of stew. I thanked him for it and we ate in silence before getting up and working. I stayed with Arenar wherever he went but I wasn't following him like some lost puppy as he would often look around to make sure I was safe whilst he worked.

Today however he was slightly less focused; it seemed that one of the other two prisoners, the Nord, had made a shiv out of the wooden spoons we eat from. Such things were passed around often here in exchange for Skooma when there were more prisoners. With a deft movement the foul man pushed me against the wall and cut a line up the front of my shirt before tearing it off completely. In a bid to protect my dignity I covered my chest with my arms, dropping my pickaxe and thus leaving myself far more vulnerable. This was the first time a man had been able to get this close to me but if he had wanted to succeed in his plans of raping me he should have snuck up on Arenar first.

Arenar had heard the commotion and I saw him come up behind the man who was desperately trying to move my arms away from my chest. Arenar took a hold of the man's neck from behind by wrapping his arm around it and began to choke him, the Nord man looked shocked that Arenar was even there and his eyes darted around as if looking for someone or something. In a desperate attempt to free himself the man quickly stabbed his Shiv into Arenar's thigh. No man could ignore such a crippling pain, not even the seemingly hard shelled Arenar and he released the man as blood started to soak through his trousers, his face screwed up in agony but he uttered not a cry.

"Die," shouted the rapist, raising the Shiv to stab it into Arenar's head but I took the opportunity to fight seeing as his back was turned. I leapt onto his back, both arms around his neck as I hung on, and bit into the lobe of his ear. He howled in pain as I bit harder and harder and he started to spin around flailing his arms to get at me. Blood gushed into my mouth as I broke the skin and eventually tore off the piece of his ear.

"You bitch," the rapist shouted and managed to fling me over his shoulder, I landed beside Arenar hard on my back who was had ripped a part of his trousers left leg off to tie it around the wound. I was gasping for air as the rapist stood over me with a cruel smile and with a wicked laugh, the man raised his crude weapon above his head and he had an insane look in his eyes. "Dead or alive, you'll be nice and warm," he said, making me feel sick and disgusted. He thrust down towards my chest and I closed my eyes, screaming out loud.

The sound of cutting flesh followed by a painful grunt reached my ears followed two seconds later by a cry pf pain. I opened my eyes as the rapist flew into the nearest wall followed by a new person wearing leather armour, the warrior thrust a sword through the rapist's chest as he lay on the ground and killed him.

Above me was Arenar, crouching over me to protect me from being stabbed. "Thank you Arenar," I said, he smiled and I raised my head to kiss him on the lips which he returned. When I tried to squeeze out from under him he wouldn't budge, "Arenar, I need you to stand up?"

"He's dead," said the woman who killed the rapist, "He rolled on top of you to stop the knife from cutting you open and took it himself," it was a female and she sounded uncaring. She pushed Arenar off of me and he was tipped to the side, limp and unmoving. When I got to my feet, wiping my mouth of blood, I noticed the shiv sticking out of Arenar's back.

"By the Eight no," I said with a gasp, tears welling up in my eyes. The woman had her head down now, staring at Arenar with a measure of respect. Her face was bright and colourful and although she wore a lather helmet brown hair stuck out at the fringe and her eyes were blue, she looked to be an Imperial like Arenar was. In her hand was a steel sword and the other held a shield made of the same material that surrounded and partially covered a circularly cut slab of wood. I tried not to start crying at the sight of my friend and protector in front of this strange woman, I didn't want to appear more vulnerable than I felt. I and managed to take two steadying breaths before facing this woman, my arms once again covering my naked chest.

"Who are you?" I asked her, my voice shaking.

"A friend," she said simply, "And I'm here to take you away from Cidnha Mine." From a backpack she took out a fresh white shirt with sleeves and green trousers along with a pair of thick leather boots. "I'm not going to arm you until I know I can trust you, thief." She said thief in a venomous tone.

"If I'm free what makes you think I'm going anywhere with you?" I was back to looking at Arenar, not accepting the clothing until I knew what was going on. "What of him, will he be buried?"

"The guard will burn him like the other two," the woman noticed my confusion; I was unaware that the other prisoner, a Dunmer, was dead. "He was working with the Nord, I suspect they planned on having you to themselves once your protector was dead but I managed to kill him before he could reach my kinsman here then I heard you scream and came running."

We were in a small narrow chamber of the mine barely big enough for five people. "What did you do to that man, you sent him flying into that wall but you didn't use magic?"

"I threw him," the Imperial said, "Now we need to leave so get dressed."

"Why should I go with you if I'm free?"

The Imperial laughed. "No one said you were free," she said, still smiling, "The guards here seem to think your more trouble than your worth and I offered to take you off their hands, I had been watching you since you arrived in Markarth you see and I decided to let you stew in the mines to teach you a lesson for your criminal ways before buying you from the guards here."

Did she mean slavery? "You mean you bought me, not my freedom?" I took a step back, suddenly afraid of this woman, I had heard of slavery in Morrowind but it had only happened to the beast races and wasn't even allowed anymore, "That's illegal, how can you do this?"

"It's hardly illegal for someone with connections in the Silver-Blood's," The Imperial walked towards me as I stepped back until eventually I hit the wall, "Some of them may dislike the Empire but they know I can be a powerful ally, they call on my services from time to time," she offered the clothes to me again. "Now get dressed or this will be very unpleasant, you can stay to watch your protector's cremation if that's what's bothering you."

I shook my head. "I'll not a set a foot out of this mine if it means being enslaved to you, Imperial," I spat in her face and she scowled at me. With a force that didn't seem right for a woman she slapped me across the cheek, she was wearing a thick glove made of leather so it hurt and sent me sprawling to the floor.

Upon impact I began to cough loudly, my chest was hurting all of a sudden for some reason but the Imperial just looked down on me with irritation as I got over the coughing fit, there was no doubt about it, I was definitely ill.

"Stand up and put on the clothes," the Imperial demanded calmly, "I'm not going to ask you again and I promise not to hurt you again if you obey, is that so hard?" I got to my feet uneasily, fighting back the urge to rip her throat out although that distracted my earlier efforts of holding back the tears and another glance at Arenar's corpse finally started me crying. The Imperial didn't wait for me to stop and thrust the clothes in my hands then turned around.

I wasn't in the mood to be hit again and anywhere had to be better than Cidhna Mine because without Arenar there was no guarantee I would be safe here when some new prisoners arrived. I would have to place myself into this Imperials hands for my own safety for now it seemed and that was what Arenar would want, me to be safe but I reasoned that I didn't have to be happy to be safe.

I stopped myself from crying and slipped into the simple shirt and trousers before sliding the boots on. I tapped her on the shoulder when I was done and the woman smiled. "We'll be heading into the Reach fairly soon, I'd estimate a few days so until then we'll you get bathed, fed and you can have a decent nights rest for a while."

Three steel clad guards had arrived to move away the bodies. They didn't look at me twice as I left. These new clothes warmed me up considerably and where a definite improvement over the rags I had worn during my time here but I had also worn similar clothing on my darker says on the streets of Riften as a little girl, I felt comfortable with these boots instead of being made to go barefoot as well.

We walked up the wooden ramp that overlooked the pit where everyone slept, the dead Dunmer had his head missing and I noticed it had rolled too close to the fire so the hair had been set ablaze, leaving a horrible smell in the mine. We passed through two cage doors which were simply left open; Cidnha Mine was empty now after all.

The smell of waste and decay became less odorous as we climbed higher towards the exit, the Imperial kept a tight grip on my wrist as we walked. When we passed the massive female Orc who acted as the Captain of the troop Mercenaries hired to watch the prisoners of Cidhna Mine, the Imperial nodded to her and the Orc nodded back. To me that was them basically securing my sale and that I was free to leave with her but far from a free person myself.

"Close your eyes," said the woman, "We're going into the sun and I don't need blinding yourself." I did as I was told; but before we continued moving I felt the Imperial roll up my sleeves then something was placed around my arms. I opened my eyes and the Imperial had fastened two lightweight cuffs just below my elbows, out of sight once my sleeves where down. "These are easier to hide than a collar," said the Imperial, "If you try to run these cuffs will make it very difficult," I felt my sleeves be rolled back down.

I closed my eyes as soon as we started walking again, just looking at the bright light in the distance hurt my eyes and when we reached the outside I covered them with my hands as it still hurt. Whilst I recovered we stood still and I listened to the sound of the water running down the mountainous streets of Markarth along with the scrape of coal being shovelled into the smelters and the voices of men shouting at one another. We were in the Silver Works, the place where all the silver in Markarth was made into bars and sold around Skyrim and the Empire.

The Imperial woman no longer held onto me because of the cufflinks and I was in no mood to test the magic in them but I was sure she meant what she said about them. "This way girl," said the Imperial.

"What's your name?" I asked the woman, not content with just being her silent servant and that an introduction was at least necessary.

"Pritia Aurrus," said the Imperial as we walked, "I know who you are though Heddvi." We passed another female Orc as she shouted at her apprentice for botching a nail he had just finished crafting as they stood in their workshop. A blacksmiths sign hung over wall-less room and I realised that the Orc made more than just nails and that she may even make weapons or armour. The Imperial told me everything she knew of me. "You were orphaned as a little girl and lived on the streets of Riften until you turned sixteen, for three years you travelled and stole under the guise of a woman trying to find an honest living but you always ended up in a cell for a few days for stealing when you couldn't bribe the guards but you got greedy with you tried to steal from a high up character like a member of the Silver-Blood family."

Her knowledge of my life scared me although I had actually been trying to make an honest living before all this and it wasn't a disguise to hide my activities as a thief but my lack of skill always led me back to stealing to survive. I had been offered countless times to do jobs for the Thieves Guild before I left Riften but I didn't want thievery to become my profession so I would take the small pay of a smelter or log mill worker over the life of a criminal any day.

"From now on you're going to be my personal servant," Pritia told, "I travel a lot in my line of work and I expect you to learn how to fight on the road, if you don't you will die, but not by my hand so learn quickly."

"I can fight," I lied, hoping to seem more useful than I actually felt.

"It certainly didn't look like it in the mine?" I was out of breath after climbing those stairs but Pritia looked as if it had been a light stroll although my illness had really taken it out of me. The air became clearer, although not much clearer, as we entered the Silver-Blood Inn. "If you can fight then why did you let that man tear off your shirt?" She said it loudly with no attempt to lower her voice.

I blushed, "I was caught off guard," I said angrily, "You try fighting on a nearly empty stomach." I was still catching my breath and I began to feel light headed.

"If it was for my dignity then I would have at least tried although you did bite his ear love off which is admirable but a dirty move," she ignored my glare of hatred and looked to an older man behind the counter of the bar but before she could say a word I suddenly felt nauseous and a second later a stream of vomit found it's way out of me and I fell to the floor, unconscious…

An hour later

"I was wondering when that would happen," I heard a voice say in the darkness. I felt a damp cloth on my forehead but I also felt extremely cold and I couldn't bring myself to speak or open my eyes. "You looked ill when I first saw you," said Pritia, "I had thought the climb out of the mine would have done it but you managed to make it to the inn, you're far sturdier than I thought." I should have mentioned to Pritia that I was ill from drinking the rancid water the guards gave us to drink. "Rest now Heddvi, don't strain yourself…"

A week later

My recovery was slow; Pritia had already planned ahead for something like this though and rented the room for as long as I needed to recover. She would leave for an entire day as I slept and come back reeking of blood and grime the next morning so I quickly realised she was a Mercenary and a very active one that could take care of herself.

As much as I hate to admit it but Pritia was kind so far and even though I hated the woman I was grateful for her kindness and devotion at keeping me well. She treated me with far more respect than I had thought she would and with more than anyone ever has for me, like when she had turned around as I undressed in the mine to change into the fresh clothes and could have easily taken advantage of me when she bathed me on this bed with a wet cloth and a basin of warm water as I slipped in and out of consciousness.

The beds in Markarth were horrible, they were made of stone and I wondered if the citizens of Markarth were only so foul because they suffered from a lack of sleep. After a week abed I was finally able to stand on my own two feet without feeling dizzy. Pritia was gone again, fighting to bring in some money out in the Reach by hunting bounties for the Jarl. I wrapped the cosy blanket around my nude frame and wondered around the room, just looking. The door was locked, a harsh reminder of my position, so I wasn't going to escape but a part of me wondered if I would if I could at this point, I was healthy thanks to Pritia who had been buying me the medicine I needed.

Pritia was taking care of me, of that I had no doubt, so not staying with her was like denying myself the chance to marry into royalty as both would secure a stable future for me outside of stealing. I saw some clothes sitting on a chair, neatly folded, and decided I should dress since I was recovered enough to walk.

I slipped off the blanket and walked over to the clothes but then I noticed myself in a large mirror. My body was far bonier than I had initially thought, my ribs were quite visible and the muscle I had accumulated during my travels was almost completely gone. My flat chest was definitely a sorry sight to what it used to be before my incarceration in Cidhna Mine and a growth of unruly hair had spread throughout my nether regions that I usually kept trimmed, more for my own vanity than anything else. My cheeks were fairly sunken and I noticed how my hair had come out in places but thankfully there were no bald spots, just unevenness and I hated how sad my eyes looked. I had always had a rogue's charm of a sort and took life with a pinch of salt but now I was defeated and the property of an Imperial. The iron bands below my elbows where proof that my freedom was completely lost the second I was sent to work in Cidhna Mine, whether or not I was ever going to leave it alive beforehand seemed pointless to dwell on, I was Pritia's property now and I'll accept that else I don't know what will happen to me.

As I continued to observe I noticed bruises also dotted my body as well cuts and scrapes with flakes of dry blood that had been missed when Pritia washed me. Cidhna Mine had not been good for me at all, it had left me battered and broken, a husk of my former self. My thoughts turned to Arenar, my protector, and I realised that I had missed his cremation most like. It was sad that he had died in there and that he had done it for someone as pathetic as me.

The door clicked open after I heard a key turn and I gasped before scooping up the clothes to cover myself. Pritia had the only key to this room thankfully and when she noticed the bed was empty she looked around for me and smiled when she noticed me.

"Are you feeling better?" She asked me kindly and I nodded, her eyes scanned me up and down and I felt uneasy as she did so, "Before you dress I'd like you to bathe again," I was told, "I'll return with a basin of hot water."

Fifteen minutes later she did just that and she also brought a silk cloth for me clean my self with. She sat and made sure I cleaned myself properly and when I finished my front she got on her knees and took the cloth from me to wash my back. Once I was clean she stood me up and told me to dress. "Once you've eaten something we'll get moving."

I had eaten very little since leaving the mine obviously but I had barely been able to keep it down. Now though I could enjoy real food and was given an appetising meal of bread that wasn't stale, fresh vegetables and delicious cuts of meat. I wolfed down the food, feeling ravenous. With my mouth still full of food I gulped two draughts of Honningbrew Mead to wash it down, marvelling at how much I missed the simple beverage.

"Slow down Heddvi," Pritia said with a smile as she ate her own food, "You'll choke otherwise."

"Sorry," I said and slowed down. It all tasted wonderful and it felt good to be eating real food once again. After half an hour my mind turned to asking some questions so that I clear on what was expected of me. "Can I ask you something Pritia?" I asked once my mouth was clear of food.

"You may," Pritia said and she folded her arms.

"What else do you expect me to do for you?" I had a feeling she knew what I meant but I decided to clarify. "You looked at me rather oddly when you walked in as I was about to dress and you insisted on watching me bathe," I shook my head, "It looks to me like you want me to do more than carry your equipment?"

Pritia smiled at me. "I can see you're a lot smarter than I gave you credit for," Pritia leaned back in her chair, "Travelling can get lonely," Pritia said and waved a hand idly through the air as she spoke, "And on my way here I found myself talking to people that weren't there or just to myself as I walked so I decided that I wanted someone to accompany me from now lest I descend into madness on my longer journeys." Pritia folded her arms again and leaned forward, "I could easily hire a Mercenary much like myself to wonder with me but that's paid company, there's usually no bonding in that kind of partnership and ends when I run out of gold so I want something permanent."

"So you feel that enslaving me will give you some company and scratch some itches?" I said, avoiding the obvious word for it.

"Don't be such a prude, you and I will be having sex eventually," Pritia said, she's much more direct than I am it seems. She fixed me with a gaze so serious, so demanding that I knew this was no joke. "But I'm not without compassion, I won't be raping you neither will we doing it today or tomorrow but in the very near future I do expect you to obey-" she leaned in closer to me and whispered with a wicked smile, "-slave."

That word, the one word that completely denounces me as a free person of the Empire so long as I'm in her company. The legality didn't seem to matter and I knew she might kill me if I tried to tell anyone. "Let me go," I demanded, hoping that at least this would ensure my freedom and it was all I could do, "You have no right to keep me."

"True, I don't have the right to keep you but I'm doing it regardless," Pritia was back to eating her food. "If you deny me even once I'll put you back in Cidhna Mine as nothing more than a plaything for the men down there, there won't be anymore Arenar's down there to keep you safe.

Her threat struck home, I was terrified of ever going back to Cidhna Mine. I resolved to avoid that fate and I would do anything not to go back there. I would get on my knees and plead in the most pathetic way possible to her if need be, I would strip naked right here and have her use me as she saw fit if it meant escaping such a fate, I would pleasure her a thousand times before I ever set foot back in that cursed hole in the ground and was used by those creatures that call themselves men.

I lowered my head, letting it hang limply. "Very well," I said, almost mumbling, "I'll do as you please, just don't send me back to Cidhna Mine."

"That's my girl, you have my word that I won't send you back if you obey me without question and I also promise not to hurt you during sex and out of it unless you force my hand," Pritia said, her voice much kinder and gentler now that she has me under her control, "Now eat up girl, we leave in the morning."

I have to admit, so long as she never hurt me I could see myself adapting. I had seen too much pain my life, slave or not, but with Pritia, I think it might hurt less than it ever has, I might be even be loved by her eventually…I might even love her back…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: The Reach

A bitter cold nipped my hands as I held onto the straps of the pack Pritia had made me carry. I was the illegal slave of Pritia Aurrus, an Imperial, whom had already stated her intentions of using me for labours such as carrying the food and equipment but also that she intended to use me for carnal desires, namely sex and I had submitted to her to avoid being sent back to Cidhna Mine but I still hated the woman.

"Why didn't we take the carriage?" I asked Pritia, irritated that we had only just left Markarth and already my hands hurt in the morning chill, "Ma'am," I added hastily, being warned before we left Markarth that I was to address her as Ma'am.

"Because that's just lazy," Pritia said, disturbingly cheerful for such an eerie morning. A thick fog had settled over Markarth and most of the Reach by the looks of it. I worried that we would be easy pray for an ambush but if anything maybe any Forsworn in the hills wouldn't be able to see us either? "How do you expect to get stronger if a horse does all the walking?"

"Well it'd be quicker, less risky?" I walked beside her with a pack on my back that carried cooking utensils, potions, some scrolls and spare pieces of armour for Pritia, she wore a full set of leather armour whilst I wore a simple white top, green trousers and brown boots and I was unarmed as Pritia didn't trust me with a weapon because she knew of my distaste for her but even if I wanted to fight her I had a pair of iron bands that Pritia had warned me not to make her use, I guessed they were enchanted or something.

The gear was pretty heavy and Pritia refused to carry any of it, saying she would be doing any of the fighting and she assured me there would be fighting needing done. She had grown irritated with my whining.

"Shut up and stop questioning me," she snapped, her tone struck me dumb and I said no more on the matter. As we climbed down a small slope just past the stables she played on my fears with a quick warning, "You don't want to go back to Cidhna do you?"

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of that cursed mine and I shook my head frantically, images of my first month in that hole making me feel cold and empty but then I remembered Arenar, an Imperial like Pritia but a kind and gentle man, I remembered how he had protected me but wanted nothing in return and when I had tried to thank him with my body he had stopped me from doing so. He died defending me from a Nord whose intent was to rape me but it was Pritia who had come and killed the rapist whilst Arenar died on top of me when he dived over me and took a shiv in the back that was meant for my heart. "No," I said quickly, "Anything but that." I hated myself for submitting at the mere mention of returning to where Pritia found me but what awaited me in there was far worse than being her slave, at least I might get to see the world.

For the next few hours we continued on our walk until we came to a small stone house that I think was used by miners but it was empty now last I heard. I was still recovering from an illness I had contracted in Cidhna Mine, although I was well enough to walk and labour I was still recovering slightly and I already needed to rest.

We had a reached a point where the road split into three ways, making it look like the letter 'T' with the house running along the top of the interconnecting roads and a bridge ran directly opposite of the door. "We'll rest here," Pritia said when I doubled over, gasping for air. My forehead was beaded with sweat and my once clean blonde hair stuck to it, creating an uncomfortable feeling of cold dampness because of the constant nip in the air and it was giving me a headache too boot but Pritia looked as fresh as when we had started walking.

Pritia approached the door and knocked on it but there was no reply so it might even be abandoned, no wonder though, living in such seclusion in the Reach must be dangerous. "Stay out here until I call you in." Pritia commanded and I nodded my head, knowing I wouldn't survive without her. From her side Pritia drew a steel blade and proceeded to open the door slowly. She crept inside with her shield out in front of her and her sword ready to thrust forward at a seconds notice.

"It's clear, in you get," Pritia shouted after a minute or two. I followed her in and let out a satisfied sigh when I dropped the heavy load I was carrying. There was a bed in here but not much else except for a fireplace and some broken furniture. "Go lie on the bed; I'll keep watch for Forsworn." I nodded but before I could take a step I felt Pritia turn me around and press her body into my mine. Her hand travelled down my back but any attempt to shake her off would result in me being hit, she had done it before. She leaned forward to kiss me on the lips but I didn't kiss her back as passionately as she would have liked and that seemed to disappoint her. "Go lie down," she said, disgruntled that I hadn't returned her affection. She mumbled something about me being ungrateful but what had she done except enjoy her morning?

I crawled onto the rough bed, more of a straw pile on wooden stilts really, and covered myself with the thin covers. Light streamed into the dark room for a second as Pritia opened the door to step outside but apart from that I was plunged into a semi darkness aided by the fog. I closed my eyes and rolled over so I wasn't facing the single window. It was cold, maybe it was just my illness but I was shivering uncontrollably.

I fell into an uneasy sleep filled with fever dreams. The clanging of metal striking stone filled my ears, the smell of waste, mould and decay filled my nostrils, the taste of rot was on my tongue and my skin felt raw as it rubbed against the sack like clothing I was forced to wear in Cidhna Mine. My pickaxe struck at the silver vein I worked so hard to break but my body was too weak to pierce the stone. The tastes, smells and sensations combined with my bodies failings made me mad. I got angry and raised my pickaxe above my head, screaming as I did and intended to bring it down as hard as possible on the silver vein.

But then I felt a calm presence, two muscular arms wrapped around me from behind, one over my chest and the other across my stomach as both came from under my armpits and I relaxed, my arms fell to my side and the pickaxe clanged to the ground. I let my head rest on Arenar's arms, he had done this to me once in Cidhna Mine under similar circumstances and this was not a dream but a soothing memory.

It had been during my fourth day in the mine, I was starving, frightened and angry but Arenar was always there, always there to make me feel safe and warm in the gloomy tunnels. "Thank you for making me feel safe, Arenar," I had said, not expecting a reply from him and I didn't get one. He rarely touched me after that moment, it wasn't that he was afraid too it was just that he simply wouldn't and I respected him so much. I regretted not prying, not asking him more questions about his life or even trying harder to make him speak to me. I supposed he couldn't, he had never made a sound but the way he carried himself said a thousand things for his personality.

The mine began to fade as soon as Arenar let go of me, for all my hatred of Cidhna Mine however I just wanted to stay with Arenar, locked in that embrace for eternity. I blink and I'm suddenly staring down at Arenar, looking at his body as it lies dead on the ground with the crude shiv in his back and suddenly Pritia appears, a shadowy presence in my mind and one that strikes fear into my very soul.

"Don't let her take me Arenar," I cried, waking up as I did. My head ached but I felt warmer somehow. I noticed the glow of a fire as it danced around in the hearth of a fireplace and Pritia was sitting in front of it.

"Go back to sleep," she said as she warmed her hands, "There's a storm coming so we'll spend the rest of the day here." I realised it was still bright outside but the room was slowly darkening.

"Did I startle you at all Ma'am?" I had wondered if my cry had shocked her but she shook her head.

"You've been shouting Arenar's name for the past half hour though," her voice was sympathetic, "Just go back to sleep Heddvi, we'll be moving on regardless of the weather tomorrow." I nodded and closed my eyes. The sound of the wind and rain battering against the stone hut was strangely soothing compared to the eerie silence of Cidhna Mine.

Three hours later

I woke up a few hours later when I felt the covers lift up beside me and Pritia slid in. I moved to give her room and she lay down with an arm around me which was rather cosy. Her nose nuzzled my ear and I clenched my fists all of a sudden, afraid that she might be choosing now to take me. I knew if I resisted we could easily turn back towards Markarth and I would be back where I started with no chance of leaving. When she kissed me on the neck I couldn't help but whimper and I heard another disgruntled sigh from Pritia like before and she turned away from me. "Go to sleep girl," she said in a biting tone and I knew better than too argue right now but I celebrated a personal victory of turning her affections away from me for at least one more night…

The next morning

We both woke up early the next morning, well Pritia woke me up, and we continued on despite the heavy rain as the wind had died down and strong winds on a path like the reach could be treacherous. By mid afternoon I could barely walk and I was soaked though but I didn't want too burden Pritia and make her even more angry at me than she already was so I suffered in silence, for my own sake however and not to please her.

By the evening we had come quite a long way that day but were still a day or two from Whiterun and a day from Rorikstead no doubt. As we headed further east the fog began to lift and by the evening we could see clearly in front of us but the rain continued, soaking us both. When the sun had set Pritia announced that we'd stop somewhere suitable when we find it. It takes a further half hour before Pritia called on us both to stop.

I ached all over now, I had been quiet about my discomfort so that Pritia wouldn't know but I was finding it hard to breathe and my head felt like it was being beaten into shape by a blacksmith. With a tired gasp I fell forward onto the ground as soon as I dropped the bag; I couldn't even lift my arms anymore so I just lay on my stomach contently smelling the damp grass and eliciting a laugh from Pritia but also a note of concern.

"Heddvi," Pritia said, shock on her tone when I didn't respond, "Heddvi, are you alright?" I shook my head and she sighed, "You overdid it today didn't you?" She said, irritation clear in her voice after I nodded, "Why didn't you ask for a break?"

I managed to turn my head and face her, "Because it would have displeased you more," I said, panting heavily, "I know I've made you mad by rejecting your advances-" I took a deep breath, almost too tired to speak, "-so I wanted to-to prove I was worth keeping and not being sent back to Markarth." I couldn't speak anymore as my breath came out heavily.

"You've certainly proven you're far more stubborn than me," Pritia moved beside me and rolled me over with my head on her lap, "But you're going to ache far worse tomorrow unless I heal you," she dug into the travel bag and pulled out a small green vial, "This will taste awful but it should give you the energy you need to continue in the morning." We had taken shelter amongst some rocks, it was fairly dry here and had been setting up a fire before tending to me.

She uncorked the potion and held to my lips then I took two massive gulps, already I had felt my energy return but my bones still ached although Pritia had prepared for this and handed me a red vial before I could speak. "You know what this is?" I nod, "Then swallow it."

I nodded and downed the potion when she tipped it into my mouth, the aches in my body seemed to disappear and I was thankful for the preparations Pritia had made. "Thank you," I said as Pritia ran a hand through my hair gently, how such a woman was capable of such a soft touch was beyond me.

"Don't be afraid to call for a break," Pritia said, "If your tired then you're easily caught off guard." Pritia returned to the fire and began to strike a flint and tinder together, "I don't want you dying you know. I waited long enough for you whilst you served your sentence in Cidhna Mine."

"I'll try and be more careful," I said as I sat against a large boulder.

"No you will be more careful," she turned to look at me, anger in her eyes, "You clearly don't understand that I own you Heddvi, if I tell you to stay healthy then you'll do it, do you understand?"

I quickly nodded, "Sorry Ma'am."

I didn't speak for the rest of the evening; we ate in silence and then slept. Pritia kept watch until she couldn't keep her eyes open and so I kept watch until morning. The effects of the stamina potion kept me wide awake thankfully and I wasn't too tired to keep moving when the sun came up. I decided to wake Pritia up and as soon as it was bright enough to walk. We cleared away our camp and continued down the mountainous road.

"We'll reach Rorikstead by the evening if we're lucky," Pritia said, "We'll rest at the inn then continue on too Whiterun where I'll be looking for work, if you can prove I can trust you and that you won't run away then I'll start giving you lessons with a sword."

"Yes Ma'am," I said as we walked, in no mood to disagree or say anything more than that unless I get into trouble like last night. I suppose I hadn't fully accepted my position but I had been a strong headed woman before Cidhna and so a part of me was still going to fight this slavery for as long as it could but I slowly felt my resistance waning.

It was another silent day but at around midday the hills started to slope downward, the sky became more open, and dry, brown grass decorated the side of the road but we were still a good distance from the plains of Whiterun Hold. Pritia was confident that we had passed any danger, she commented on how lucky we were to have not been attacked when we were in the hills but then, as she finished speaking, a loud cry came from the hills beside us.

"Get down," Pritia suddenly cried; I waited a second too long and a barbed arrow struck me painfully in the arm, impaling it and becoming stuck. With a scream of pain I fell to the floor, tears streaming down my cheeks as I cried in shock and agony. "Stay awake, Heddvi," Pritia said loudly as she lay flat on her stomach, she looked up and her face contorted in anger.

She got to her feet, raising her shield, and ran over me then used her shield to block any arrows. I turned my head to see her locking blades with one woman wearing ragged brown armour and sporting a jagged sword and terrible looking axe. She was a Forsworn, recognisable by her armour that gave her a chastened look, the look of a barbarian.

Pritia pounded the woman with her shield, making her lose balance and her arms flew into the air. Pritia thrust forward with her sword, catching the woman in the chest then she pulled the blade out, twirled and then slashed her across the stomach just as a second Forsworn came at her.

My vision began to blur but I did my best to keep my eyes open. Pritia was fighting a man now, in his hands was the same two weapons and he looked far stronger than Pritia. The two fought at the bottom of the hill that a single archer stood on, taking aim with an arrow but could get neither me nor Pritia and the Forsworn she fought was in front of her, blocking her from the archer's sight.

With a quick movement of her sword Pritia overpowered the man and her sword cut through his neck, beheading him. As the blood poured from the open wound like a fountain Pritia ran up the hill with her shield raised in front of her, deflecting an arrow from the archer.

The archer dropped his bow and pulled out a dagger but it was no match for Pritia and she thrust forward, stabbing the man right through like the first Forsworn, and he died before the blade was even removed. There was no victory cry, no celebration but instead Pritia sheaved her weapon and bowed her head for a second before running down the hill to me.

I had concentrated on watching the fight to stop myself from losing consciousness but the pain in my arm was becoming too much to bear. "Don't fall asleep Heddvi," Pritia said, slapping me on the cheek to keep me focused, "Just hold still, I'll use some magic to heal the wound but first I need to remove the arrow." She tugged on it slightly and I screamed out in pain, she stroked me gently on the cheek, shushing me gently, "Just be brave Heddvi, alright?"

I looked up at her and nodded, I could feel my eyes burning as tears continued to stream from them and my breath came out in short painful gasps as I continued to cry. Pritia took the shaft of the arrow in her hands tighter than before and gave me a gentle smile. "On the count of three," she said and I nodded, "One," she tugged on the arrow hard; the pain of the unexpected removal of the arrow caught me off guard. "Three," Pritia said with a smile but I was far from smiling back.

Bits of muscle clung to the arrow and Pritia winced when she looked at it, "That's going to be problem," she said, "We'll just have to heal you as best as possible and hope the muscle repairs itself." I was still crying too loudly to reply, blood seeped from the wound and I kept a tight grip on it so I didn't bleed out. Pritia gently removed my shaking hand and placed her own over the wound. A golden light emitted from her palm and I could hear a strange ringing sound but as it happened the pain slowly ebbed away and the wound began to itch as it closed.

"It worked," Pritia said, wiping her brow with her clean hand, "You were very brave Heddvi," she told me with pride. Our eyes met just then, her devotion to me was clear now and she had risked her life to ensure my survival. I shakily got to me knees, our eyes still locked, as Pritia crouched on knee beside me.

Unsure of what to say to a woman who had saved my life twice now, the first time was in Cidhna Mine, I decided to thank her in another way. I leaned forward and our lips met for the first time. Pritia kissed me back eagerly, her hands moving up to my back to stroke it. I raised my hands as well and rested them on her lower back.

I decided that if Pritia wanted to take me now or tonight then I wouldn't stop her, it was her right in my eyes seeing as she'd risked her life for me just now and had looked after me when I was sick. I suddenly felt selfish for rejecting her previous advances and also ungrateful because I had no other way of paying her back for the medicine and bed at the inn in Markarth. After a few minutes Pritia stopped the exchange and told me to stand up.

"Strip their armour," she said, indicating to the dead, "We can fetch a fair price for it."

"But Ma'am looting the dead is-well-immoral," I said unsurely.

"I'm not going to let some vulture get to it though," Pritia said, "Now do as you're told." I sighed, what choice did I have? After removing the rather revealing armour from each of the three I folded it and put it away, Pritia told me to leave the weapons and to only focus on what they were wearing. "When we get to Whiterun I know someone who'll buy this."

There was a newfound pleasure in walking with Pritia now and I was happy to stand close to her. We talked more today than we ever had, Pritia spoke of her life before coming to Skyrim and I learned that she had lived in the Imperial City as a child but sought adventure at a young age and had been in Skyrim ever since, she managed to avoid the war with the Thalmor as she was still quite young herself when they attacked.

"I'm glad you're opening up to me Heddvi," Pritia said, smiling as we walked, "So do you believe me now when I say I'll look after you?" I nodded.

"I don't doubt that you will look after me Ma'am," I said, "I'm not going to lie to you though; I hate what you're doing." Pritia didn't get mad or even threaten me so I continued, "But I know that even if I had left Cidhna there's no guarantee I'd be better off, with you I can at least stop stealing and maybe learn from you."

Pritia smiled, "Do you truly believe your life will be better with me?" I nodded, "So you promise not to run away?" I thought about it for a few seconds then nodded saying that I promise to stay with her for as long as she keeps treating me fairly, "Good, I'll keep treating you fairly if you keep obeying, do you understand?"

I didn't need to think about what she meant by that but I was ready to give myself to her so I nodded. We arrived in Rorikstead just as the sun began to set, upon arriving at the inn we paid for the double bed but before retiring we got something to eat. No one seemed to care that my shirt was soaked in blood or that Pritia had blood on her face and armour but I supposed it was a normal sight for adventurers to have some gore on them this close to the Reach.

We talked more as we ate, joking and laughing this time as the comfortable, safe surroundings allowed for some merry making. We sat beside one another and our conversations lasted well into the night, I was finding it harder and harder to hate Pritia as I learned more about her. By the time every other patron was leaving to go to sleep Pritia and I had had a few bottles of mead and I was feeling rather drunk.

In an inebriated although partly genuine show of affection I leaned my head on Pritia's shoulder, giggling stupidly as I did and Pritia, who was equally drunk, joined in with me. I shifted closer to her and clumsily wrapped an arm around her waist, resting it on her hip and raised my head to look into Pritia's eyes. Without a seconds hesitation she leaned in to kiss me and I met her halfway.

Ignoring the stares from other patrons we continued our kissing, although drunk we could still feel the attraction between the two of us. It got to a point where Pritia slid a hand down between my legs and smiled wickedly at me, I blushed but managed to smile back and we both knew the time was right. Pritia's finger lazily stroked up and down my crotch, and I couldn't help but moan softly at the contact.

"You ladies need your rest now," said the innkeeper, an older man who eyed us with curiosity. Pritia nodded and we both got out feet, swaying but only slightly.

"Come on Heddvi," Pritia said and took my hand, not my wrist, in hers gently and led me towards the room we had rented.

Now was the time, what better a time to get intimate with Pritia than when I was drunk and might forget about it in the morning. I took Pritia by the waist with both of my hands and pulled her into me; she welcomed the gesture and leaned her head forward. Our lips met in a kiss similar to the one we had shared after the attack on the road but this time it felt much fierier.

Her hands moved to my trousers and quickly lowered them down; I wore nothing under my clothing and was completely exposed when they reached my knees. At her command I stepped out of them and removed my shirt then kicked off my shoes. Pritia smiled at my nakedness, moving my hands away from my chest as I nervously tried to cover myself. "Such a pretty little Nord," she said, still smiling, "Make's me all aflutter."

I smiled as best I could, being ogled so blatantly by another woman who did nothing to hide her lustful gaze from me was new to me entirely. I looked away, blushing and heard Pritia laugh. "Get on the bed," she told me and I sat down, "No I mean lie down, keep your legs open." I winced at the thought of spreading myself entirely for her but my mind was now constantly on the manacles around my arms and what they might do if I resisted.

"That perfect," Pritia said as she eyed my sex, "I admit the hair is very off-putting, the next chance you get I want to shave it alright?"

I nodded, not daring to defy her whilst I was naked. I just knew she wasn't beyond abandoning me like this and would probably take my clothes to teach me a lesson as I doubted she would send me back to Cidhna this far from Markarth. "It looks good though," Pritia continued, still commenting on my womanly parts, "Now lie still and relax, I promise you this will feel good." I closed my eyes when I realised what Pritia was about to do, she had gotten to her knees and placed her head between my legs…

The next morning

I didn't forget that night; I remembered every detail as Pritia leaned in towards me and let her tongue glide between the lips of my sex. Her how mouth travelled up my chest and took one of the nipples from my small chest in her mouth. Her eyes as she looked up at me from both angles and how she smiled when I did it to her.

I had to admit, the taste of her was something I had not expected, it was delightful for one thing and far from revolting so now I found myself eager to do this again. As we lay under the covers of our shared bed I smiled at the naked Pritia beside me, her brown hair falling over face partly and the soft and rise and fall of her voluptuous chest that looked far bigger than it did under the armour she wore.

The sun streamed into our room from a window and small cracks in the wall and roof. The covers had slid off both of us during the night and the cold air had set my nipples hard, but so were Pritia's it was an uncomfortable sensation so I cuddled into Pritia to get warm after covering us again. As I did she woke up and I noticed her smile.

"No time for sleeping," she said and sat up, "We had best get to Whiterun…"


End file.
